Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Cougar Scientist Brian Kertson will be conducting an entertaining and very enlightening lecture on cougar ecology, behavior, and management.

At this event, you will learn how to identify cougar signs in the woods and how to co-exist with cougars where you live and play.

Brian is a great teacher for young and old.

Kerston earned his Ph.D. with the Washington Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Washington focusing on cougar wildland-urban ecology.

After graduation, he was recruited by the Idaho Fish and Game Department. There, Brian was a senior wildlife research biologist conducting research on the predator-prey dynamics of wolves and elk in central Idaho.

Then, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife drafted Brian back to Washington to lead research efforts on the State’s large carnivores. Now, he has 16-years experience conducting intensive, field-based cougar research in the Cascade Mountains.

His current research examines the potential influences of expanding human developments into western Washington cougar habitat.

Brian is one wildlife scientist who really enjoys his work and gets up close and personal with his subjects!

Cougars are the apex predator of the Pacific NW forests. Solitary and secretive, these big cats are often shrouded in mystery, mythology, and misinformation. Brian will dispel all the myths. During his very entertaining presentation, you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about cougars: how big they get, how many kittens they have, how long they live in the wild, favorite foods, habitat requirements, whether or not cougars really move around in the suburbs....and much more.

During the show, you will get to test out your powers of observations during a “find the cougar contest.” Brian will show several “deep forest” photos and you will be asked to find the cougar looking at you. The first one to meet the challenge will receive a prize: a beautiful Adopt A Stream Foundation poster of Sockeye Salmon.